The most iconic movie scenes that defined cinema history

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Compiling a list of the most iconic movie scenes of all time can be difficult, as everyone has their personal favorites. They can make you jump out of your seats, scream in horror, laugh out loud or even cry tears of joy or sadness.

Ultimately, iconic movie scenes are a matter of personal opinion. Therefore, you will find a mix of black-and-white classics and modern blockbusters without any specific order.

Without further ado, sit back, relax, grab your popcorn and soda and enjoy these iconic movie scenes that shaped cinema history.

*Caution: spoilers ahead!

Titanic, King of the world scene

In one of the greatest romantic epic movies of all time, nomadic artist Jack looks out into the expansive ocean at bow of the Titanic while exclaiming these famous lines. This scene captures the joy and exhilaration of the moment Jack boarded the ship after winning third-class tickets from a poker game.

This scene was revisited later, when Jack and Rose stood at the bow of the ship, with Rose's arms outstretched as if she is "flying" over the sea. This, in turn, symbolized their true love for one another and their newly discovered freedom.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, You shall not pass scene

In first movie of the Lord of the Rings film series, the Fellowship emerged relatively unscathed from their leg of their epic expedition to Mordor. By the time they reached the bridge of Khazad-Dum, an enormous fire and shadow demon known as the Balrog emerged. Gandalf sacrifices himself while defending a crumbling subterranean bridge, declaring the iconic passionate words as he did so. This allowed the rest of the Fellowship to escape to safety.

The Shawshank Redemption, Rain-soaked scene

In "The Shawshank Redemption," successful banker Andy Dufresne was serving a life sentence in the Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his denials of any wrongdoing.

Considered to be one of the most cathartic movie scenes of all time, Andy escapes through a tunnel and the prison sewage pipe system during a rainy and stormy night. Andy finally tastes freedom and stands in the rain, washing away the filth he has had to endure for the last 20 years.

The Princess Bride, My name is Inigo Montoya scene

Inigo Montoya, a character in "The Princess Bride," is determined to avenge the death of his father.

While dueling the six -fingered Count Rugen, he recites the iconic phrase numerous times, "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." Eventually, Inigo kills Rugen, fulfilling his quest for revenge.

Beauty and the Beast, Ballroom dance scene

After being transformed to an unattractive beast due to an enchantress's spell, the prince must learn a lesson in true love and kindness.

While the transformation back into a human does not come until the end of the movie, it is the captivating ballroom dance between Belle and the Beast that signals the completion of his inner transformation.

Citizen Kane, Rosebud scene

In an iconic mystery movie that has captivated audiences, "Citizen Kane" opens with aristocratic businessman and failed politician Charles Foster Kane uttering his last mysterious word, "Rosebud."

This prompts reporters sifting through the rise and fall of Kane's career and the struggle to decipher the meaning behind Kane's last word. Another clip with the equally iconic answer to "Rosebud" has been included.

Psycho, shower scene

Marion Crane is stabbed to death by a shadowy feminine figure, revealed to be Norman Bates's alternate personality, Mother. At the time of the movie's release in 1960. this scene was rather controversial due to the visuals, such as the blood running down the drain and the implied gore.

The murder of Marion prompted the investigation during the second act of the movie and this scene was a huge twist.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, I am your father scene

This scene is probably one of the most pivotal moments in both the Star Wars film series and cinema history.

Upon arriving in Cloud City, Luke Skywalker engages in a duel with Darth Vader, whom Luke believes to be the murderer of his father and Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the ensuing chaos, Darth Vader's lightsaber severs Luke's hand, leading to Luke hanging onto a gantry above an deep chasm.

Darth Vader tries to persuade Luke to join him with a promise of shared dominion over the galaxy. When Luke rejects, Darth Vader reveals he is Luke's father.

Darth Vader's line is often misquoted as "Luke, I am your father." In reality, he actually responds to Luke's claim that he killed Luke's father by saying, "No, I am your father."

E.T. the Extraterrestrial, flying bikes scene

This is yet another of the most iconic movie scenes in history. In "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," Elliot and E.T. evade government officials on Halloween, aided by the alien's telekinetic abilities. This allows the bike being lifted and moved to safety.

As a result, the shot Elliot and E.T. flying the bike against the full moon became the logo for Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment.

Jaws, You're gonna need a bigger boat scene

"Jaws" is one of the greatest suspense thrillers and became a global box office hit when it was released in 1975.

Alongside the iconic suspenseful music featured, we finally get a full view of the monstrous shark at this point, when Martin Brody uttered these famous words, "We're gonna need a bigger boat."

Jurassic Park, welcome to Jurassic Park scene

This scene from "Jurassic Park," which was released in 1993, has captivated audiences globally with its wonder. This also marked the moment that dinosaurs came to life in the most realistic way possible.

Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Sattler and their peers caught a view on the dinosaurs for the first time, making this scene remain impactful today.

King Kong, the Empire State Building attack scene

Two years after its opening, the Empire State Building served as the backdrop for the iconic scene from "King Kong," which premiered in 1933.

The enormous ape goes on a rampage through New York City and ascends the skyscraper. After fending off several airplanes, he ultimately succumbs to his injuries and plummets to his death.

The Star Wars opening scene

The first Star Wars movie, "A New Hope," still stands the test of time over multiple sequel, prequel and streaming series.

Besides the iconic opening music and opening crawl, there is no greater way to start a movie than jumping straight into action. The movie opens with the Tantive IV flying through space, when a massive Star Destroyer suddenly sweeps through the screen, in pursuit of a small rebel ship. Overall, Star Wars will never surpass this iconic scene from the first film.

With this opening, "Star Wars" laid the groundwork for an epic space saga.

Alien, Chestburster scene

The Chestburster scene from "Alien" definitely maintains its terrifying impact and something that lingers in the audience's mind for quite a while.

The scene starts with a seemingly ordinary dinner before transitioning into stasis. Suddenly, Kane begins to choke and then convulse violently, leaving the rest of the crew terrified and confused. This increases tension for the sequence's main highlight. In an instant, the Chestburster makes it out of Kane's chest, splattering blood everywhere and killing him instantly.

Casablanca, Rick and Ilsa part ways scene

The ending of "Casablanca" is considered to be one of the greatest final scenes in movie history.

Laszlo, aware that Rick is love with Ilsa, begs with Rick to ensure her safety, as he boards a plane to Lisbon to evade arrest. At the last second, Rick tells Ilsa to go on the plane with Laszlo. Rick says the final lines, "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life."

The Wizard of Oz, Entering Oz scene

One of the most iconic scenes in "The Wizard of Oz" was when Dorothy opened the door of her house, revealing a magical and colorful Munchkinland. In addition, Dorothy utters the famous line, "Toto, I'm afraid we're not in Kansas anymore."

At the time, the movie employed then-state-of-the-art "three-strip" Techicolor technology to bring out the vivid colors of the Land of Oz. Naturally, the audience gasps at the shift from black and white to full-on color.

Aladdin, Magic carpet ride scene

Thanks to Disney, it has been responsible for producing popular animated movies enjoyed by audiences old and young. One of their biggest classics is "Aladdin," which was released in 1992.

The most iconic moment in the movie occurs when Aladdin invites Princess Jasmine along for a ride on the magic carpet. This was also accompanied by one of Disney's most catchiest tunes, "A Whole New World."

Singin' in the Rain, Singin' in the Rain scene

Perhaps one of the most iconic scenes of all time is the one that gives this movie its title, "Singin' in the Rain."

This musical number encapsulates the most incredible feeling in its purest form. It occurs when Don, filled with joy after escorting Kathy home, dances happily in the pouring rain while singing about his newly discovered love.

Avengers: Endgame, Heroes return scene

Among the standout moments the Marvel Cinematic Universe has given is when the heroes return for a momentous final showdown against Thanos.

This, in turn, crafts a unforgettable moment of spectacle and unity. Moreover, it is the ultimate culmination of over a decade of storytelling that brings the heroes in one monumental scene.

Ben-Hur, Chariot race scene

This action sequence has approximately 10 minutes of screentime in the biblical epic movie, "Ben Hur."

In the second half of the movie, Ben-Hur enters a deadly chariot race to exact vengeance against his arch-rival, Messala. For several minutes, Ben-Hur guides his horses through several challenges, surviving collision after collision.

Frankenstein, It's alive scene

Back in 1931, Boris Karloff portrayed the iconic monster from "Frankenstein."

Perhaps the most iconic moment in this movie is when young Henry Frankenstein pieces together a life made with body parts acquired through dubious means. With his fiancée, close friend and a university mentor as witnesses, the creature and lab equipment are exposed to the lightning strikes, bringing the monster to life. This prompts Henry to utter the famous words, "It's alive!"

Schindler's List, The girl in the red coat scene

"Schindler's List," which highlights the horrors of the Holocaust, it certainly will leave a lasting impact even after the credits start rolling. Oskar Schindler experiences a pivotal moment when he witnesses the mindless massacres at the concentration camp.

Yet, one symbolic character literally stands out amidst gut-wrenching and heartbreaking scenes: a little girl in a bright red coat against a black-and-white landscape. Oskar later witnesses her tragically buried in a heap of dead bodies.

2001: A Space Odyssey, I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that scene

Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey" is among the technically groundbreaking movies ever made. It is also one of the movies featuring artificial intelligence, especially with HAL 9000.

One of the most memorable moment is when HAL refuses to obey Dave Bowman's orders by saying, "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." To audiences, HAL's voice is so cold it sends chills down the their spines.

As an added bonus, Bowman manually enters the ship's emergency airlock and begins to gradually disconnect HAL's circuits, ignoring HAL's pleas to stop.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Aragorn's speech at the Black Gate

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"The Lord of the Rings" might be one of the most successful film franchises of all time.

One of the most favorite scenes is when Aragorn delivers a speech at the Black Gate as part of a strategic plan to draw Sauron's forces away from Mount Doom. The speech itself is motivational and unforgettable. With Aragorn yelling, "I bid you stand, Men of the West," he acknowledges the soldiers' fear while encouraging them to stand firm and fight.

Raiders of the Lost Ark, Boulder scene

Harrison Ford's outstanding role to date is the archaeologist Indiana Jones, who has appeared in five movies, beginning with "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

The first five minutes is full of action, and the most exhilarating part occurs when Indiana's runs away from a rolling boulder even before his adventures have started.

Lady and the Tramp, Spaghetti dinner scene

The Bella Notte spaghetti scene is perhaps one of the most iconic scenes in "Lady and the Tramp" and the Disney franchise.

As Lady and Tramp's romance flourishes, they have a spaghetti dinner and accidentally kiss after unwittingly slurping the same strand of pasta. Without having to use spoken dialogue, the dogs communicate through body language and glances, which were perfectly captured by animation.